Hand Upon My Heart
by So Teeny
Summary: [Ed x Winry][One shot] It only takes one calm winter night to get certain feelings across.


**Hand Upon My Heart**

_By Lain Blackchurch_

She always knew that it was impossible. Edward was a traveler, he could never quite stay in one place, even as a child. She had known this due to the fact that at dinner time he was always the one squirming in his chair. Mrs. Elric tended to reprimand him once in a while for that, yet the habit still continued, and breathed, and existed so long as Edward Elric did.

Winry didn't mind his squirming at the table however, he could move and bounce his leg (so long as it wasn't the auto-mail one for that creaked) up and down as much as he wanted. It was his lack of footing on the ground every time both he and Alphonse left Rizembool. She knew that she couldn't just run up to him, wrap her arms around his waist and pull him back. She just couldn't, because that would break him, his spirit, and he didn't need his soul to be broken and crushed any longer.

One cool morning, she had seen a familiar shock of blonde hair arising from the hill, despite its owner's lack of physical stature. A clanking following that, which caused Winry to assume that Alphonse was also with Edward, accompanying him upon the long excursion by train to their home, agricultural, urban Rizembul.

She waved frantically at the two brothers, catching their attention immediately with the glint of her wrench, for this she knew. Edward never missed sight of her wrench, especially when it tended to land square in the middle of his forehead. That would end up leaving a raised, red lump the size of an egg right there in the area, but she wouldn't feel bad about, it was only a joke.

Winry listened to the crunching of Edward's boots as he and Alphonse came to the front of the house. New snow, she thought. Quite a surprise, seeing the weather pattern now a days with its sporadic heat and cold waves. The warm doors opened to the inner area of the Rockbell residence, and there were brief embraces and a shaking of hands (in Edward's case with Auntie Pinako) before the door was shut. There, standing in the door way, stood the suit of armor, and the Fullmetal Alchemist.

How she detested the name whenever it was said. Fullmetal... like some thing... he had even been referred to an object once. A weapon of war used to kill and destroy. It caused shivers to run mercilessly down and up her spine. I hate them... she thought. I loathe the military...

And then... she smiled. Edward and Alphonse both explained that the Colonel had sent them off to spend the holiday with their family. The young Elrics had no family, only a very good friend, a dog, and someone to call 'Grandma' or 'Granny'. But then again, that was all they needed, people to lean on in their growing stages.

That evening, they had sat down and eaten heartily at the warm table, Alphonse feeding Den stealthily, though Winry had spotted it, and Edward... hardly touching his plate. It was strange... unorthodox of one she had seen usually eat for two due to the fact that he supported a portion of Alphonse's DNA within him since the human transmutation.

When he had left the table, she followed him closely afterwards, trying to nod or smile whenever the time allowed such. Soon, she had come to the point where she had to venture with him outside, tailing him akin to his shadow. Winry watched as Edward doffed his red coat and pulled on his white gloves. Around his neck, he quickly tied a black scarf, and she smiled. Edward was always one for the dreary colors now a days.

He was dressed with death, and covered with blood, though his hands remained white and pure. It was strange, the symbolism that Edward used day by day. Maybe that just came with the package, it was obvious that the accident would affect both of Trisha and Hohenheim's sons some how, some way. And it wasn't the children's fault... no... it wasn't.

Winry quickly slipped on her coat as well, glancing over to Alphonse and giving him a quick smile and nodding. "I'll bring him back."

"Good," Al murmured softly. "I don't like it when he's out there by himself. It makes me nervous sometimes..."

"You know, you shouldn't worry so much..."

"But you are, aren't you? That's why you're going out. I have just as much a right to worry for my brother as you do, Winry... you know that..." Nodding slowly with understanding, Winry quickly darted out the door and into the snow, dogging Edward. The white flakes began to drift down again, landing in flurries down upon the ground.

You always want to be alone, she thought. Tugging her mittens on even tighter than before, she began to run, figuring that they were at the perfect distance from the house. They were both quite far enough that Edward would have to let her stay... have to.

Stomping her feet on the ground to warm them, she thrust her entire body weight onto the small of his back. Immediately, she heard his cry, and both tumbled down the slope them had been flanking for some time now, at least worth the half-hour of walking. Amazingly, he wore no expression of anger or regret. Instead, he pressed her head down to his chest and looped his arms behind her neck to support it.

The two came to an abrupt stop at the end of the hill, Winry laying atop of Edward rather heavily. "Ouch..." she hissed, wincing. "that hurt." She sat back on her heels and looked around for a little while, expecting Edward to get up. He did not, thus worrying her.

Winry reached out a tentative hand and brushed his human fingers with her own, gently clasping the hand and squeezing it tightly. "Come on, get up..." she said softly. His eyes opened, yet not all that quickly, and he looked up at her, golden eyes slightly widened. He shook his head in the snow and looked about.

"My head..." he breathed. Finally focusing upon Winry, he raised his brows. "What the hell was that?"

"I'm sorry, okay?"

"Winry!"

"I was worried! What else was I supposed to do!?" she cried. "Wait for you until you came back! I think I've done just about enough of this damned waiting for a good long time now! I'm sick of it!"

"Win... ry..." he whispered slowly, as she threw herself once more against him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I don't want to wait any more... I don't want to take any of your... your shit, Edward Elric... why should I wait when I know you might never come back!?" His hand abruptly tangled in her hair, and she looked up, knowing her face was completely reddened and filled with sordid tears.

"You know," he said. "I think you've got your hand on my heart..." Winry rested her head upon his shoulder, searching with her hand. "No... the other one... the hand right there..."

"Where?" Winry questioned. "Where is your heart? Last time I checked, I didn't think you had a beating one."

He scowled at her, removing the glove off of his right hand and settling it over her own right. "It's here..." he whispered, settling her hand upon the center of his chest. She did not protest when he began to peel away her white mitten from her fingers. Nor did she pull away when he unbuttoned the latch of his red and black coat, slipping her hand beneath the wife beater.

And it was then that she realized... Edward was not moving her hand, and it was she who was controlling it. His hand had been resting upon her back, pulling her close. She could feel it now... his heart palpitating so fiercely, warmly, breaths calm and collected. "You can't leave me..."

"I need to," he said as she trailed her fingers back over his wife beater and up his neck, pressing even closer to his chest. "you want to see Al again, don't you?"

"Don't think about losing another limb, Edward... don't you dare... it was bad enough the first time, I don't need to hurt you again... and you don't need to hurt Al either."

"It's not his fault!"

"It's both your faults! And don't you dare argue with me Edward, because I'm right and you're wrong so there, do not contradict me because I solemnly swear you can kiss your ass goodbye if you do!"

"Winry..."

"WHAT!?" she snapped, staring at him coldly with bright blue eyes. "What! That's the third time you've said my name without something coming after it! You want me to saying something? I'll say something..."

"Winry,"

"Ed, Ed, Ed, and god damn it, Ed!" she yelled, now smiling. "Oh..." She settled her other hand onto her lips. "That... felt nice..."

"I only wanted you to answer..." he said. "I only wanted you to speak..." There was a brief pause, in which Winry stared solemly up at him and finally laughed, causing white clouds to appear beside her face. "Can you put your hand there again...?" he asked.

Winry let her lips curl again into an even broader smile as she settled her fingers beneath his shirt and pulled into his body beneath his chin. Edward was short... but not that short... she had been exaggerating it in her mind... truely she had...

"Let's go back home..." she said, beginning to stand. "Granny's making stew again..."

What she failed to tell him was that it did not lack the milk he so dreaded. Oh well, Edward wouldn't notice, after all... along with her hand upon his heart, she had also settled her hand upon his stomach.


End file.
